The Swan Maiden by Raymond H. Thompson (review)

In addition to his distinguished scholarly contributions to Arthurian studies, Raymond Thompson is the author of seven science fiction novels constituting a cycle titled The Striking Hawk. Only the most recent contribution, The Swan Maiden, is published on paper between covers. The earlier volumes are available in electronic editions at very modest cost. The previous novels are Project Excalibur (2014), The Sword in the Stone (2015), Grail (2015), The Wild Hunt (2016), The Blue Dragon (2016), and The Grand Tournament (2016). All are Blue Dragon / Dragonfly books.

The central character (or at least the usual center of consciousness) of this novel is Rory Maelduin, who is surrounded by an astonishing cast. There are his wife (Heather Sheridan), his children, grandchildren, adopted and foster children, and a cast—literally—of thousands. Incidentally, the first volume of the cycle, Project Excalibur, explains Maelduin’s involvement in these adventures. He is recruited because he is a retired Canadian professor of medieval literature, specifically an expert in things Arthurian and, especially, in the Merlin story. (A hint of autobiography, perhaps.)

The titles of Thompson’s previous novels firmly establish the Arthurianism of the series, but readers of The Swan Maiden must exercise some patience in order to comprehend fully its Arthur/Grail character. The two main adult characters are Rory and Heather—hardly traditional Arthurian names. The novel offers a complex series of adventures pitting Rory and his friends and allies against various enemies, the goal being to break a geis placed on a remarkable young girl named Elise. As is often the case with Arthurian narratives, there are three primary challenges, and ultimately, after many peregrinations and adventures, Rory et al. are successful, an outcome we never doubted. The geis is broken, and Elise is accepted as a member of Maelduin’s family.

But what about all of this is Arthurian, other than the geis and, conceivably, the three goals to be accomplished through various adventures? In fact, for a time this connection is indicated mainly by a number of Arthurian names and frequent passing references to the Grail Lance (p. 27 and passim), the Castle Perilous (p. 30), and other familiar motifs. Any number of times, we find observations about characteristics of Arthurian legend; for example, ‘Knights of the Round Table were always wandering all over the place in search of adventure. They were easily distracted’ (p. 337). (And earlier, near the end of volume 3 [Grail], Thompson had offered us a quite faithful account of the traditional Grail ceremony.)

Concerning names, the son-in-law of Maelduin is Gawain, and Arthurian or near-Arthurian names are frequent. Maelduin’s extended family includes, for example, twins Owein and Morag; a girl Rhiannon; and a major figure, perhaps surprisingly, Lohengrin, a youth whose duties as the champion of Elise are a single aspect of the obvious attraction that each feels for the other. (The author’s note concluding the volume [p. 505] points out correctly that Arthurian compositions regularly imported characters and names from other texts or traditions, and Lohengrin should not materially disorient us. In addition, Thompson reminds readers that the Swan Maiden herself is not attached—except here—to Arthurian legend.)

But there is much more. It happens that Maelduin is an avatar of Merlin, and he, like many other characters, has shape-shifting powers: he is often a merlin, the bird suggested by his Arthurian name. Among his allies and adversaries are dragons, dragonflies, selkies, dolphins, iguanas, slugs, and other life forms, and many of those are able to converse together and modify their shapes. We learn, for example, that dragonflies can become hornets, and dragons transform to parrots (p. 252) and other birds. And of course Elise is the Swan Maiden, who, despite her youth and relative inexperience, is able to transform herself into a swan.

One of the most striking shape-shifters is the Prydwen, ‘ . . . a Grail vessel capable of traveling between worlds’ (p. 55). The ship, traditionally Arthur...